i don't recommend smoking, but i prefer whole leaf virginia flue cured because i can cut it how i like, i can cut out the stems myself, and i can sort the leaf by grade, from cream, to mid, to mudlug. too many times mudlug leaves have ruined what could've been a refined smoking experience for me. not only this, but whole leaf is way cheaper than commercial tobacco, and the closest you can get to this quality of leaf is either through cigar tobacco, or pipe tobacco, neither of which are ideal for various reasons. for me, i prefer quality specifically when it comes to smokes because it's accessible.